Despite a 1-year absence, Iñigo Anton was again fighting for wins when the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) Philippine Cup staged its season opener at the Clark International Speedway (CIS). The 2x champion was called back by Obengers Racing to take them to the top spot of the podium, to which Iñigo happily obliged, winning the Endurance Race on Saturday.
Regulations previously dictate that Super Sporting drivers were no longer allowed in the series after winning the championship. But a rule change in 2024 paved the way for Iñigo’s return.
After a successful season in the Formula V1 Challenge and Radical Cup Philippines, the 20-year-old had to be reacquainted driving a front-wheel-drive Gen 2 Vios OMR cup car. Obengers Racing also struggled to find a good setup for Iñigo, explaining why he was off the pace during Official Practice. A few tweaks did cure some of his handling woes, but still prevented him from laying down a clean lap in Qualifying and ended up P4 on the grid.
A quick getaway in Race 1 saw Iñigo move up to P2 and slotted neatly behind JBT Racing’s Red Diwa as the field made its way around the 4.189 km circuit. Unfortunately, he didn’t quite have the pace to catch up to the leader and was eventually passed by Russel Cabrera of Toyota Team Cebu. With only a few laps to go, the 2 cars ahead got crossed up fighting for position and let Iñigo to retake 2nd which he held until the chequered flag dropped.
Now lining up in P5 with the reverse grid start, Iñigo had to muscle his way up to a podium spot in Race 2. But as the Top 3 drivers were so equally matched, no one could challenge for position. The gap from P1 to P3 remained the same all the way to the finish with the Obengers Racing driver securing 3rd across the line.
Saving his best result ’til the last race of the weekend, Iñigo made the most out of the wet conditions to get himself into the lead after starting from P3. From then on it was all down to team strategy. A perfectly-timed pit stop saw Iñigo rejoin on a clear piece of track where he laid down quick, consistent laps to undercut his competitors. And when everyone was done making their stop, Iñigo found himself back in the lead. With a healthy advantage, all he had to do was manage his tires and conserve fuel to take the victory after 1.5 hours of non-stop racing.
With his pair of podium finishes and race win, Iñigo Anton provisionally leads the Super Sporting Class after Round 1. He aims to maintain his winning ways when the TGR Philippine Cup stages Round 2 on September 27/28.
Iñigo Anton: “Extremely honored to be back with Obengers Racing after winning the 2021 and 2022 championships, but also felt the pressure to perform. Although I faced really tough competition in the opening round, Obengers Racing had my back all the way. So I’m really happy with my results and it’s all because of the incredible effort everyone in the team put in. Looking forward to continuing the awesome teamwork to the next round!”
Richie Uy, Obengers Racing Team Manager: “Obengers Racing is thrilled to welcome back Iñigo for this season. His relentless drive and winning spirit are sure to inspire his teammates, Julia de los Angeles and the newest member of our team, Jesse Garcia. With our recent victory last weekend, we are more driven than ever. This win not only boosts our morale but also fuels our determination to achieve our ultimate goal: clinching the championship this season.”
Iñigo Anton is sponsored by Toyota Balintawak, Toyota North EDSA, Toyota Otis, Motul Philippine Distributor – Infiniteserv Int’l, Yokohama Philippines, Mark Young Racing, Next Level Racing, Alpinestars Philippines, Time Master Watches, JSD Autosport, MP Turbo Philippines, Axle Sports, and University of Baguio.
[Photos by Matthew Romualdez]